pray en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- prā
- /pɹeɪ/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *preḱ- Proto-Italic *preks Latin prex Latin precārī Late Latin precāre Old French proiier Anglo-Norman preierbor. Middle English preien English pray Inherited from Middle English preien, borrowed from Anglo-Norman preier, from Old French proiier, from Late Latin precāre, from Latin precārī, from prex (“request, petition, prayer”), from Proto-Italic *preks, from Proto-Indo-European *preḱ- (“to request, ask”). Displaced native Old English gebiddan. Cognate via Indo-European of Old English frignan, fricgan, German fragen, Dutch vragen. Compare deprecate, imprecate, precarious.
Meanings
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To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc.
Pray to the small gods and hope that they may hear thee. Yet what mercy should the small gods have, who themselves made Death and Pain; or shall they restrain their old hound Time for thee?
1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC:This can't happen. You can't die! You're the Emissary! [...] Captain, I know my beliefs make you uncomfortable around me sometimes, and that maybe that's why you keep me at arm's length. But I don't care about that right now, and I am going to pray, because I don't know what else to do.
1995, David Mack & John J. Ordover, “Starship Down”, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 4, episode 7, spoken by Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor):The critically low level of rainfall in the second half of 2020 – approaching 50% year on year for November – led the religious affairs directorate to instruct imams and their congregations to pray for rain last month.
2021 January 13, Bethan McKernan, “Turkey drought: Istanbul could run out of water in 45 days”, in The Guardian:Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca.
- To humbly beg a person for aid or their time.
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(obsolete) To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.
I know not how to pray your patience.
1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
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To wish or hope strongly for a particular outcome.
She is praying that the Red Sox will win tonight.
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(obsolete) To implore, to entreat, to request.
I humbly pray to the Honorable Court for the order for the removal of the publication which contains fake news to be granted.
2021, Yang di-Pertuan Agong, “Schedule”, in Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2023, page 31:They prayd him sit, and gave him for to feed Such homely what as serves the simple clowne, That doth despise the dainties of the towne[…]
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 7:In time of drought the Abchases of the Caucasus sacrifice an ox to Ap-hi, the god of thunder and lightning, and an old man prays him to send rain, thunder, and lightning, telling him that the crops are parched.
1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 370:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| prayed | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| prayed | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| praying | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| prays | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
prithee · prayee · prayingly · nonpraying · praying mantis · pray in aid · pray the gay away · praying Indian · outpray · unprayed · unpray · prayable · praying mantid · pray to the porcelain goddess · spray and pray · praying shawl · praying machine · pray tell · pray to the porcelain god · prayful · plug and pray · prayer · unpraying
Relateds
Translations (307)
te ప్రార్థించు (to talk to God) · pt orar (to petition a higher being) · ta வேண்டு (to petition a higher being) · dsb bjatowaś (to petition a higher being) · cmn 祈禱 /祈祷 (to petition a higher being) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to petition a higher being) · sw sali (to talk to God) · my ရှိခိုး (to petition a higher being) · my ကိုးကွယ် (to petition a higher being) · pam mangadi (to petition a higher being) · he הִתְפַּלֵּל (to petition a higher being) · ota عبادت ایتمك (to petition a higher being) · lld prië (to talk to God) · mn мөргөх (to petition a higher being) · nl bidden (to talk to God) · pl modlić się (to petition a higher being) · yi בעטן גאָט (to talk to God) · et palvetama (to petition a higher being) · da bede (to talk to God) · vec pregar (to petition a higher being) · syc ܨܠܝ (to petition a higher being) · sg sambela (to petition a higher being) · tl ipanalangin (to petition a higher being) · yi בעטן (to beg humbly for aid) · nrf prier (to petition a higher being) · izh rukoella (to beg humbly for aid) · sh moliti se (to petition a higher being) · kne kalalag (to petition a higher being) · ja 請う (to beg humbly for aid) · rm urar (to petition a higher being) · se rohkadallat (to petition a higher being) · cu молити (to talk to God) · ky намаз окуу (to petition a higher being) · itk אוּרַארֵי (to petition a higher being) · ru моли́ть (to beg humbly for aid) · gun nhembo'e (to petition a higher being) · rup or (to petition a higher being) · is bæna (to beg humbly for aid) · be памалі́цца (to petition a higher being) · ka ვედრება (to beg humbly for aid) · bg мо́ля се (to petition a higher being) · vi cầu (to talk to God) · is biðja (to talk to God) · pt pregar (to petition a higher being) · sv be (to talk to God) · zza niyaz (to talk to God) · got 𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍂𐍉𐌽 (to petition a higher being) · bn প্রার্থনা করা (to petition a higher being) · tr dua etmek (to petition a higher being) · pl modlić się (to talk to God) · ebk monlowaro (to petition a higher being) · kk намаз оқу (to petition a higher being) · nod ᩋᨵᩥᨭᩛᩣ᩠ᨶ (to petition a higher being) · uk моли́тися (to petition a higher being) · it orare (to petition a higher being) · id berdoa (to petition a higher being) · zza bımbarek (diq) (to beg humbly for aid) · ru помоли́ть (to beg humbly for aid) · sga guidid (to talk to God) · sv be (to petition a higher being) · eu otoitz egin (to petition a higher being) · ksc malluwaru (to petition a higher being) · orv молити сѧ (to petition a higher being) · shn ယွၼ်းသူး (to beg humbly for aid) · chr ᎠᏓᏙᎵᏍᏗᎭ (to petition a higher being) · eu otoiztu (to petition a higher being) · alt сурап јайнаар (to petition a higher being) · is biðja (to petition a higher being) · ka ლოცვა (to talk to God) · izh kyssyä (to beg humbly for aid) · ro închina (to petition a higher being) · bo སྨོན་ལམ་འདེབས་པ (to petition a higher being) · ca resar (to petition a higher being) · alt јалбарар (to petition a higher being) · bg моля (to beg humbly for aid) · wym baota (to petition a higher being) · ja 願う (to beg humbly for aid) · tk doga okamak (to petition a higher being) · hsb modlić so (to petition a higher being) · eo preĝi (to talk to God) · fo biðja (to talk to God) · eo preĝi (to petition a higher being) · pt rezar (to petition a higher being) · de beten (to talk to God) · sv bedja (to talk to God) · fa نماز خواندن (to talk to God) · ms berdoa (to petition a higher being) · clt thlaachuo (to petition a higher being) · zza mehebet (to talk to God) · hy աղաչել (to beg humbly for aid) · ga guigh (to talk to God) · hi प्रार्थना करना (to talk to God) · sq lutem (to petition a higher being) · yue 祈禱 /祈祷 (to petition a higher being) · fr prier (to talk to God) · lo ສວດມົນ (to petition a higher being) · la ōrō (to petition a higher being) · fi anoa (to beg humbly for aid) · mi minono (to beg humbly for aid) · fi anoa (to petition a higher being) · lld prië (to petition a higher being) · es rogar (to beg humbly for aid) · grc εὔχομαι (to petition a higher being) · cy gweddïo (to petition a higher being) · fr prier (to petition a higher being) · gur pʋ'ʋsɛ (to petition a higher being) · mk моли се (to petition a higher being) · zza nemaz kerden (to talk to God) · ja 祈る (to petition a higher being) · es orar (to petition a higher being) · th อ้อนวอน (to beg humbly for aid) · sq lutje (to petition a higher being) · wa priyî (to petition a higher being) · fa عبادت کردن (to talk to God) · ja 祈る (to talk to God) · aho 𑜈𑜩𑜨 (to petition a higher being) · mfe priye (to petition a higher being) · nl bidden (to petition a higher being) · ro ruga (to beg humbly for aid) · uz duo qilmoq (to petition a higher being) · da bede (to beg humbly for aid) · blt ꪼꪪ꫁ꪫꪮꪙ (to petition a higher being) · es rogar (to talk to God) · fy beade (to talk to God) · ja 嘆願する (to beg humbly for aid) · ru помоли́ться (to talk to God) · cmn 乞求 (to beg humbly for aid) · aho 𑜈𑜩𑜨 (to talk to God) · tg ибодат кардан (to petition a higher being) · gd guidh (to petition a higher being) · lo ສວດ (to petition a higher being) · bcl pangadyi (to talk to God) · de erbitten (to beg humbly for aid) · el προσεύχομαι (to talk to God) · yue 祈禱 /祈祷 (to talk to God) · hy աղոթել (to talk to God) · haw pule (to petition a higher being) · sv be (to beg humbly for aid) · sw kusali (to petition a higher being) · lij pregâ (to petition a higher being) · kk дұға оқу (to petition a higher being) · izh kyssyä (to talk to God) · bo ཁ་འདོན་བྱེད་པ (to petition a higher being) · ar دَعَا (to talk to God) · nv sodilzin (to petition a higher being) · kne lowalo (to petition a higher being) · kk сиыну (to talk to God) · my ပူဇော် (to petition a higher being) · rup angrec (to petition a higher being) · ilo agkararag (to petition a higher being) · es rezar (to talk to God) · fur preâ (to petition a higher being) · jra kơwưh (to beg humbly for aid) · rup ncljin (to petition a higher being) · nan-hbl 祈禱 /祈祷 (to talk to God) · ms sembah (to talk to God) · ja 祭る (to petition a higher being) · la precor (to petition a higher being) · gl rezar (to petition a higher being) · rup pricad (to petition a higher being) · id berdoa (to talk to God) · vi cầu nguyện (to petition a higher being) · lb bieden (to petition a higher being) · rup ngrec (to petition a higher being) · cu молити сѧ (to petition a higher being) · gd dèan ùrnaigh (to petition a higher being) · ga guigh (to petition a higher being) · rup pãlãcãrsescu (to petition a higher being) · izh rukoella (to talk to God) · tg дуъо кардан (to petition a higher being) · fa عبادت کردن (to petition a higher being) · hu imádkozik (to petition a higher being) · cs modlit se (to petition a higher being) · sk modliť sa (to petition a higher being) · ru моли́ться (to petition a higher being) · cs pěkně prosit (to beg humbly for aid) · is biðja (to beg humbly for aid) · th อธิษฐาน (to petition a higher being) · sl moliti (to talk to God) · nrf prier (to talk to God) · af bid (to petition a higher being) · he התפלל (to talk to God) · sh молити се (to petition a higher being) · nn be (to petition a higher being) · tl ipagdasal (to petition a higher being) · ar صَلَّى (to petition a higher being) · cop ϣⲗⲏⲗ (to petition a higher being) · nl smeken (to beg humbly for aid) · yi בעטן (to petition a higher being) · izh rukoella (to petition a higher being) · pt orar (to talk to God) · sv bönfalla (to beg humbly for aid) · zza dua kerden (to petition a higher being) · ca pregar (to talk to God) · be малі́цца (to petition a higher being) · rup pãrãcãlsescu (to petition a higher being) · ko 빌다 (to talk to God) · mi inoi (to petition a higher being) · la precor (to talk to God) · aho 𑜈𑜩𑜨 (to beg humbly for aid) · el προσεύχομαι (to petition a higher being) · fi pyytää (to petition a higher being) · fi rukoilla (to talk to God) · st rapela (to talk to God) · pt rezar (to talk to God) · th สวด (to petition a higher being) · ky дуба кылуу (to petition a higher being) · aii ܨܲܠܹܐ (to talk to God) · ko 기도하다 (to petition a higher being) · ru помоли́ться (to petition a higher being) · ta பிரார்த்தி (to petition a higher being) · ota دعا ایتمك (to petition a higher being) · hak 祈禱 /祈祷 (to talk to God) · aii ܨܲܠܹܐ (to petition a higher being) · fo biðja (to petition a higher being) · bo ཁ་ཏོན་བྱེད་པ (to petition a higher being) · es orar (to talk to God) · km អធិដ្ឋាន (to petition a higher being) · da tilbede (to petition a higher being) · blt ꪵꪒ꪿ꪎꪷ (to petition a higher being) · ru моли́ться (to talk to God) · hu imádkozik (to talk to God) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to talk to God) · lmo pregà (to petition a higher being) · mn залбирах (to petition a higher being) · fi rukoilla (to petition a higher being) · fa نیایش (to petition a higher being) · ar دَعَا (to petition a higher being) · am ጸለየ (to petition a higher being) · ms sembahyang (to talk to God) · ota عبادت ایتمك (to talk to God) · uk помоли́тися (to petition a higher being) · th เคารพบูชา (to talk to God) · shn သူးတွင်း (to petition a higher being) · da bede (to petition a higher being) · cmn 禱告 /祷告 (to talk to God) · mi inoi (to talk to God) · ro ruga (to petition a higher being) · ko 빌다 (to petition a higher being) · ovd biða (to petition a higher being) · ja 祈願する (to petition a higher being) · lt maldauti (to petition a higher being) · unm patama (to petition a higher being) · ur عبادت کرنا (to petition a higher being) · lo ອະທິຖານ (to petition a higher being) · kg kusambila (to petition a higher being) · sw sali (to beg humbly for aid) · ist pragà (to petition a higher being) · rup auredz (to petition a higher being) · bcl pangadyi (to petition a higher being) · kmr nimêj kirin (to talk to God) · de beten (to petition a higher being) · hak 祈禱 /祈祷 (to petition a higher being) · kmr diʼa kirin (to petition a higher being) · kne boyag (to petition a higher being) · tl manalangin (to petition a higher being) · ja 祈祷する (to petition a higher being) · pt rogar (to beg humbly for aid) · cmn 祈禱 /祈祷 (to talk to God) · st rapela (to petition a higher being) · kne sos-owa (to petition a higher being) · fa دعا کردن (to petition a higher being) · shn ယွၼ်းသူး (to petition a higher being) · tr Hüda'ya dua etmek (to talk to God) · njo-jgl sarasadem (to petition a higher being) · sne bidoa (to petition a higher being) · izh kyssyä (to petition a higher being) · it pregare (to talk to God) · dsb módliś se (to petition a higher being) · ka ლოცვა (to petition a higher being) · hy աղոթել (to petition a higher being) · no be (to talk to God) · kl qinuvoq (to petition a higher being) · mt talab (to petition a higher being) · ro ruga (to talk to God) · tg дуо хондан (to petition a higher being) · vi cầu nguyện (to talk to God) · sga guidid (to petition a higher being) · tl magdasal (to petition a higher being) · lb bieden (to talk to God) · my ကိုးကွယ် (to talk to God) · af smeek (to beg humbly for aid) · fi rukoilla (to beg humbly for aid) · af bid (to talk to God) · pl pomodlić się (to petition a higher being) · it pregare (to petition a higher being) · ca pregar (to petition a higher being) · ang ġebiddan (to talk to God) · rup rog (to petition a higher being) · hi प्रार्थना करना (to petition a higher being) · fa نیایش (to talk to God) · yi דאַוונען (to petition a higher being) · lv lūgt (to petition a higher being) · ca pregar (to beg humbly for aid) · de bitten (to beg humbly for aid) · cmn 禱告 /祷告 (to petition a higher being) · pl błagać (to beg humbly for aid) · ar صَلَّى (to talk to God) · es rezar (to petition a higher being) · sl moliti se (to petition a higher being) · nan-hbl 祈禱 /祈祷 (to petition a higher being) · az dua etmək (to petition a higher being) · th สวดมนต์ (to petition a higher being) · ang ġebiddan (to petition a higher being) · nb be (to petition a higher being) · cs modlit se (to talk to God) · bo ཁ་ཏོན (to petition a higher being)